Nov 10, 2017 - Instructions by Mark Tilsen

Put on your orange coatUse the ear plugs when offeredlet the medics take care of youif you forget to take care of yourself have someone remind youPut the Tanka Bars in your pockets for laterDrink as much coffee as you need toBe calmstay calmTry to be rational in this calm, spread it like coals hoping it will catch fire, it won’tSmear on your war paint if you rememberStand with your friendsLead by exampleNever ask anyone to do something you are unwilling to doWrite two letters;One to your mother that’s filled with pages and pages of stories and grief telling her you forgive her and in your heart you know she always loved you even when she couldn’t be thereTo your father you must writeI love you, I tried my best, thank youLeave them in your tent in case you won’t be coming backSmell the sage burningWalk to the frontlinesHold the lineHold the lineHold the line until you can’tThe cops tell you to go back to CampDon’t listen to themcheck in with your friends, try to plan somethingsee the canupa being loaded, spare an indulgent moment in reverie for that life you once had and the warm circle of prayer that once wrapped your daysSnap out of itnotice the growing chaos like madnessWhen you can look down the scope of the snipers rifle it means he is pointing it at youDon’t flinchDecide what you are going to dolet go of it alllet the world shrink into a handful of moments falling one into anotherTry to rally your peoplefail at itIf they won’t follow, leave your friends behindIt is not your job to protect themYou can’t keep them safeIt is the only thing you want to do, but you can’tSmoke the cigar you saved for just this moment, blow the smoke heavily from your nose like an angry bullWalk, don’t runDon’t look backwhen they send the swarming line of cops at you they will scream STOP MOVINGDon’t listen to themLaugh at the mercenaries shifting on their heels as you get closer and closerNotice they’re afraid of youDon’t look backGet tackled by policeHoldSit downHear the strange pop in your shoulder as you are lifted off the ground by your cuffsGo to jailRepeat